Split the Mountain
by Jevvica
Summary: When the rock face just in front of him exploded, all Callen could think was that he should have listened to Sam. This was definitely worse than a sunburn.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Okay, everyone complains that my NCIS: LA fics are too short. So, this is my attempt at something a little longer. Also, I know next to nothing about the exact area of the Colorado Desert this takes place in, other than what I could Google.

And I swear I don't have a thing for hurting Sam. I have a thing for seeing Callen give a shit.

I own very little and absolutely nothing related to NCIS:LA.

* * *

_"For your sake, I hurry over land and water;  
For your sake, I cross the desert and split the mountain in two."_  
―Al Hallaj

* * *

G pulled his ball cap lower against the glare as he shut the door of the agency SUV. He looked over at Sam. His eyes were hidden behind shades, but they didn't hide the concern.

"Something's bothering you."

"Maybe," answered Sam, thoughtfully. "Something about this just doesn't feel right."

"You think we're on a goose chase?"

"I have no trouble believing terrorists are crossing over into the US from Mexico. It makes sense, we've seen it before. It's easier than trying to get into the US directly. But camping out in the Colorado Desert? In caves?" Sam shook his head, as he adjusted the straps of his pack before swinging it on to his back. "They can hide in plain sight, disappear in a city. Why rough it?"

"We're not that far from San Bernardino. It's not outside the realm of possibility that this is a staging area. No nosy neighbors to ask what all that fertilizer is for." G shrugged into his own backpack and checked his weapon. "This just some recon on satellite intelligence. Worst case scenario, we find some bad guys and get a sunburn. Best case, nice hike in beautiful country."

"I'm pretty sure it can worse than that. A lot worse."

"Cynic."

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When the rock face just in front of him exploded, all Callen could think was that he should have listened to Sam. Sam was rarely wrong. And this was definitely worse than a sunburn. The two agents were making their way down a narrow path to the gulley floor when the shots rang out through the valley.

Callen dropped to crouch and tried to pinpoint them. Sam was just ahead of him on the trail and he must have seen something G didn't because he rose up and began returning fire. Callen tracked his aim and finally spotted a glint of a gun barrel on the opposite wall. Shit. Whoever was taking shots at them had far better positioning. G darted back behind a larger rock and then began shooting up at the shimmer he had spotted across the gulley. Callen dropped back down and looked up the trail at Sam. His heart stopped when he saw another figure emerge from around a bend in the trail and take aim at Sam.

"Sam!" Sam glanced at G and then immediately whirled to face whoever was behind him. G never saw the bullet hit, but the sound of the single shot bounced around the rock walls and Callen bolted forward as Sam twisted, stumbled and fell from the narrow trail and down the sharp incline to the gulley below.

One shot and the gunman fell, but Callen hardly noted the man he'd just killed. He peered over the edge, trying to spot Sam. G could see him, about forty feet down, and he was moving. The ice in his chest melted just a little. The gunfire had stopped and Callen couldn't see anything where the other shooter had been.

He carefully but quickly began zigzagging his way down the steep incline of the cliff face. He knew it wouldn't take long for whoever was using them for target practice to start up again. They had to get out of there. Callen just hoped Sam was mobile. It felt like hours had past when G finally reached the dried gulley floor, surrounded on all sides by walls of stone and earth.

"Sam!" Callen knelt down next to the big man, his weapon training on the ridge above them. "How bad?"

"Bad." Sam's voice was strangled with control that couldn't hide the pain.

"Where are you hit?" G wanted to see, wanted to assess his partner, but he knew that they were fish in a waterless barrel here and he tried to keep his eyes up, scanning the ridge.

"Not hit. Missed. The fall...my leg..."

"We have to move, Sam." Sam didn't answer just began levering himself up only to nearly collapse again when he tried to put weight on his left leg. G managed to catch him until he could get his balance. "Come on, big fella, don't make me do all the work," murmured G, trying not think about how grey Sam looked. A shot cracked off the ground a foot away just as Callen noticed some cover.

"There!" A dozen yards in front of them was the opening in the rocks. Callen bore as much of Sam's weight as he could, all the while firing back behind and above them. Sam hopped and stumbled over the uneven terrain, keeping a death grip on the strap G's pack. As soon as they reached the opening, Sam fell with a cry. The small cave was shallow and empty. Callen immediately dropped to one knee and scanned the walls above where they had been.

Nothing, no movement and no more gunfire. He waited. For nearly a half an hour, Callen waited and watched, but didn't see anything. It was possible he'd hit the shooter, but it seemed unlikely. This was bad.

He gave the canyon one more long look and turned to check on Sam. His partner was lying on his back. The broken pieces of the satellite phone lay by his hand. He's managed to take his pack off, but hadn't moved from where he'd fallen, his eyes squeezed shut.

"How you doing?" Callen asked softly.

"I think I'll live," was Sam's terse reply.

"Let's check it out, okay?" Callen moved down to inspect Sam's left leg. The loose hiking pants lifted easily enough for G to see how swollen the leg was down near the top of the boot. Damn. They couldn't stay here. There was a real threat in this desert that needed an organized team to handle and Sam needed a hospital and now they didn't have a way to call for support.

Callen rummaged through his pack, pulled out a bottle of water and some ibuprofen and handed them to Sam.

"We gotta get out of here," remarked Callen after a quiet moment.

"You go."

"Yeah, right," said Callen lightly. "Like I'm leaving you here."

"You have to, G."

"Like. Hell."

"G." Sam's voice was irritatingly reasonable after he took a long, deep breath. "I can't put weight on my leg, it is totally jacked. You are stubborn as hell, but being bull-headed isn't going to get me out of this canyon. I'm too big, it's too far, and we don't know who else is out there. We'd be a hobbling, hot mess of a target. You and I both know you have a better chance without me."

G's face had tightened into a scowl, but he didn't respond. He stood and stepped over to look out the entrance at the desert. Sam was right. It sucked, but that didn't make it less logical. They were in the middle of nearly seven million acres of unforgiving desert. Deeks and Kensi would come looking for them eventually. But eventually could be too late in a place like this. They had supplies, but not for an extended excursion. Their best bet was getting somewhere elevated and hope for cell service. Or hope Eric was looking for their signal. And hope there weren't anymore snipers around to find them before their friends did.

Dammit. There was way too much hoping in this plan.

"This plan blows," said G, without turning around.

"No argument here."

"Alright," sighed Callen, finally facing his partner. "This is what I'm going to do. Hike back up to the trail and try to get a cell signal." Sam carefully pulled the SUV keys out of his pocket and tossed them to G.

"I am not going to need these."

"You will if you can't get any service."

"No."

"There is a ranger station thirty miles back the way we came in."

"Sam..."

"They'll have a radio or a satellite phone." G shook his head in frustration.

"How are you so sure that I'll go?"

"Because I am just as sure you'll come back." Sam's dark eyes were imploring, but he couldn't stop his smile. "Your stubborn ass is going to come back to get me, if for no other reason than you can remind me of it for eternity." Callen held his partner's gaze for an unreadable moment.

"Fine," consented G briskly, "but we are going to set you up for defense." He helped move Sam to the back of the small cave. It wasn't far, but the exertion and jostling left Sam sweaty and panting. Callen carefully lifted Sam's leg and put it on top of his pack, with water, protein bar, and painkillers within easy reach.

Lastly, G took Sam's weapon and put it into his trembling hands.

"I don't know how many are out there or if they saw where we disappeared to. But chances are, they're hunting. Try not to draw attention to yourself, big guy."

"Don't worry about me," said Sam, his smile wan. "I'll just be hanging out in the shade. Don't have too much fun out in the blazing sun with all the snipers, okay?" Callen smirked and stood up. He pulled on his pack, checked his weapon and stared out of the entrance. Still no movement or noise.

He glanced back. Sam nodded.

"I'll be back soon." And G walked out into the light.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Okay, everyone complains that my NCIS: LA fics are too short. So, this is my attempt at something a little longer. Also, I know next to nothing about the exact area of the Colorado Desert this takes place in, other than what I could Google.

And I swear I don't have a thing for hurting Sam. I have a thing for seeing Callen give a shit.

I own very little and absolutely nothing related to NCIS:LA.

* * *

"_For your sake, I hurry over land and water;  
For your sake, I cross the desert and split the mountain in two."_  
―Al Hallaj

* * *

Callen slipped behind the cover of a rock formation and waited. Still nothing. He'd been hiking and climbing and pausing to watch for signs of being followed for nearly an hour. He almost wished someone would take a shot at him. Then he would at least know where they were. And that they were tailing him instead of going after Sam. There had been no gunshots, no shouts, nothing. G could only hope that meant they hadn't found his partner. He held out his cell, which still had no bars. He pocketed the phone and then kept climbing.

By the time Callen reached the car, nearly three hours had past since he'd left Sam. Every moment was a weight. G held up his useless phone one last time before throwing himself into the driver's seat and heading back the way they'd came, back to where he remembered seeing the ranger station.

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"Mr. Beale?" Eric managed not to jump, but just barely.

"Hetty, I'm still not picking up any signals from Callen or Sam." The computer genius had been searching the Colorado Desert ever since Callen and Sam had missed a scheduled check-in five hours ago. And their tiny Operations Manager had been silently appearing and disappearing behind him ever since. She was calmly and persistently destroying his last jangling nerve. "There's nothing! No GPS from the SUV, no signal from their phones or the satellite phone..." Eric broke off as his phone rang from a number he didn't recognize.

"Hello?"

"Eric, it's Callen."

"Where have you been?!" hissed Eric, putting Callen's call on speaker phone. "I have Callen, Hetty." He then quickly began the trace on the phone the agent was using.

"Mr. Callen?"

"Two confirmed hostiles, Hetty. Possibly more hidden in local desert terrain. Request immediate reinforcements, sweeper teams and emergency medical evac." All the relief Eric had felt at the sound of Callen's voice drained away at the request for a medical evacuation.

"Your status, Mr. Callen?"

"I'm at a ranger station approximately three miles off the Bradshaw Trail. Our sat phone is inoperable, I've appropriated the ranger's. Eric, do you have my location?"

"Yes, I've got you," answered Eric quickly, putting up the map of the desolate area of California and Callen's borrowed signal. Callen sounded off: stiff and really...military. Something was wrong.

"I repeat, requesting reinforcements and medical evacuation to this location."

"Understood, Mr. Callen." Hetty nodded to Eric. He sent the coordinates to phones, initiated the mobilization of the teams that Callen was requesting. "Back up is en route, including Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks. But I'm requesting a more detailed situation report." Eric's eyebrows crawled up his forehead. Hetty's voice was dead calm, almost gentle. Crapcrapcrap...if Hetty was busting out the kid gloves on Callen, something was really wrong. The following silence was so long, Eric would have wondered at the connection if he couldn't see it strong on his computer screen.

"We began our reconnaissance shortly after 0700 hours. At approximately 0930, we were fired upon by unknown assailants. One hostile was neutralized, but Agent Hanna was injured in the exchange." Eric closed his eyes. Crap.

"What is Agent Hanna's condition?"

"As of 1100 hours, he was stable in concealment and cover." Eric's eyes shot open. 11:00? That was nearly four hours ago. "I left Agent Hanna to procure communication and call for back up."

"Copy that, Mr. Callen. Please await the arrive of support, I will have Ms. Blye contact you as they get close to your location."

"Understood." There was a click as the line went dead. Eric turned wide eyes to Hetty.

"Get me Ms. Blye on the phone, Mr. Beale."

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Kensi checked the GPS in her hands for the 10th time, verifying that they were closing in on Callen's signal. It felt like they were crawling across the desert road, only because she wanted to be there, like, yesterday. Hetty had filled her in on the details, or at least the cold, scant details Callen had volunteered. Hetty hadn't needed two warn Kensi, but it had been there, in the Operations Manager's voice. Sam was down and Callen was cagey. As they neared to within a mile, Kensi punched in the number Hetty had given her for Callen.

"Callen."

"It's Kensi, we're close to your position."

"I see you. Don't stop, I'll pull out ahead of you. Tell everyone to keep up." Kensi started to ask how far they had to go, but Callen had already hung up. She looked to the driver's seat, at Deeks.

"He's going to pull out, just follow him." Deeks' nodded, eyes back to the dirt road ahead. Kensi picked up the radio that linked all the teams in their little caravan. "We are nearly to Agent Callen's position, he'll lead us in, so stay close."

Callen's SUV roared onto the road ahead of them and accelerated away.

"Jeez," muttered Deeks. "I get we're in a hurry here, but we're no good to Sam dead."

It didn't take long to get the end of the dirt path that counted as a road. The convoy halted in a cloud of dust and movement. Callen was out of his truck, giving assignments and shouting orders. Separate units began circling out, containing and surrounding the area Sam and Callen had traveled through.

Callen pulled out his sat phone. "Eric? I need that chopper in the area. I estimate an hour to Sam's location. Just in case the phones won't work in the canyon, I'll pop smoke. That evac better be there." Callen put the phone away and looked at the other agents for the first time. His fair skin was sunburned and covered in sweat and dust. But he didn't look tired. If anything, he was a honed edge of focus and determination.

"Kensi, Deeks, you're with me. We're are moving to Sam's location as quickly as possible. Keep an eye out, but unless we encounter a hostile or are fired upon, we're not stopping."

Callen scared Kensi a little bit when he got like this. On most days, he was teasing and joking and dodging, that was usually playful, even when she recognized it as the defense mechanism it was. But in the middle of some operations, he went cold. Unknown and unknowable and Kensi realized how little she really knew Callen. How those blue eyes went to ice and he felt like a stranger. He didn't need reassurance. He needed to accomplish his objective. Without any other words he turned and began a fast pace into the rougher terrain.

"Hiking," muttered Deeks. "God, I hate hiking."

"Just...keep up," answered Kensi softly. Deeks gave her a sideways look.

"Do you know something I don't? How bad is this?"

"Think, dummy!" hissed Kensi. "He left his wounded partner in hostile territory! How much worse do you want it?"

"This is California, not hostile territory! Hey, I'm not saying it doesn't suck, but it's a broken leg, right? Concealment and cover, right? I'm pretty sure Sam could still kick my ass, one leg and all..." Kensi whirled, moving into Deeks' space.

"What if it was me?" she asked softly, dark eyes searching Deeks' face. Deeks looked at her for a moment, realization and something like pain flickering through his eyes before he brushed past her and ran to catch up with Callen.

"Stop wasting time."

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Everything was quiet. The trio didn't see or hear anything on their trek. Callen barely glanced at the man he had killed. He was just a marker on their path to Sam. Callen finally slowed his pace as they began to carefully pick their way down the steep incline to the canyon floor below. He held up a fist and dropped to one knee when he spotted the second body. It was just outside the shallow cave where he'd left Sam. After a few moments, Callen slowly made his way to the man, but he didn't need to feel for a pulse. He was clearly dead, a gunshot to the face. Callen carefully peeked into the shelter. Shadows and silence. He looked back and motioned for Kensi and Deeks to hold their positions.

"Sam?" he called out quietly. Callen slipped out of his pack and readied his weapon. "Sam, I'm coming in." He took a deep breath and stepped into the cave. When his eyes adjusted to the growing dark, he could plainly see the gun pointed at him.

Sam was where he'd left him, propped against the far wall. His eyes were murky, barely focusing, but his gun arm was steady.

"Hey, big guy, it's just me," soothed G, holstering his gun and holding up his hands. "Just me, back like I said I'd be." He moved closer, keeping his voice light. "Looks like you had some fun without me. No fair." Sam squinted and rubbed his eyes.

"G?"

"Yeah, Sam." Sam's arm dropped and he sucked in lungfuls of air. Callen moved in, sweeping the gun away and reached for Sam. His partner's skin was cool and clammy, his pulse was way too fast. He's been on alert for hours, shooting one hostile and hoping Callen had made it through.

"What...what took you so long?" coughed Sam.

"You know me," teased Callen softly. "Easily distracted, completely unreliable." Sam exhaled a soft laugh and shut his eyes.

"Nope, not okay Sam, open your eyes," demanded G, all gentleness gone. "Kensi!" The dark haired agent appeared at the entrance of the cave, worry all over her face. "Get Eric on the phone and pop smoke, I want the medevac team in here, now!" Callen turned back to Sam at the feel of a hand gripping his.

"Shhh...," whispered Sam. "Got a bad headache."

"Why? I've been running through miles of desert all day. I'm hungry and dirty and sunburned." G couldn't stop the hand that tried to smooth the lines of pain on Sam's face. "What have you done today besides lie around and wait for me to save the day?"

"Put up with you...," responded Sam. "Everyday...I deserve a medal..."

"You love it."

"I _would_ love a medal." Callen could hear the sounds of the chopper approaching.

"Never took you for the glory hound type."

"M'tired, G." Sam mumbled, his eyes closing, hand slack in Callen's.

"I know, I know you are Sam. Just a little longer, okay?" pleaded G, "The nice people with the good drugs and helicopter are almost here."

"Good," breathed Sam.

"Callen?" G turned to see Kensi, flanked by members of the medevac team. "Callen, I've briefed them, but they need to get in there and work." G's grip on Sam tightened reflexively.

"G." Callen looked down at Sam. "S'okay. Good drugs, 'member?"

"Yeah," said G, letting go of Sam and backing out of the space. The canyon was shadows, the sun falling behind the walls.

"How's he doing?" asked Deeks. The detective was scanning the area around them, clearly on look out.

"Talking, but shocky," answered Callen. The helicopter was hovering further down the canyon. "How are they extracting?"

"Hoisted in the litter," supplied Kensi. "They can't set down in this gulley and they don't want to spend the time hauling Sam up the incline.

If felt like forever before the medical team emerged from the cave with Sam on the litter. G was at his side immediately.

"How's he looking, guys?"

"Unconscious, but stable. We're ready to lift as soon as the chopper is position." Kensi, Deeks, and Callen watched as Sam and a member of the team were lifted into the helicopter. "We're taking him to Camp Pendleton. I assume you'll be meeting us there?"

"Yes," supplied Kensi when Callen failed to respond. "Thank you." As the winch lowered to retrieve the rest of the medical team, Callen turned and grabbed his pack.

"Kensi..."

"Go." Callen hesitated. He didn't want to leave half his team out here, even though it looked like the hostiles had been taken care of. "There is a ton of support in the area and by all accounts, we are all clear." She smiled and made a shooing motion. "Go on. We'll clean up your mess."

Callen nodded and began hiking back out of the canyon. If he never set foot in this desert again, it would be too damn soon.

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Sam came awake slowly. The pain that had been his overwhelming reality was blissfully muffled. He was cool and it was mostly quiet. There was only the sound of an occasional page being turned nearby. Sam rallied to open his eyes and see who the reader was.

"Hello, Mr. Hanna."

"Hetty," whispered Sam.

"How are you feeling? Do you need anything?" Sam didn't answer right away. He looked around the room, and settled his sights on his elevated leg.

"How bad?"

"Oh, nothing that won't mend, but still quite impressive. You've gained some hardware, a metal plate and five screws. They also had to reattach a ligament. You'll be doing a lot of paperwork for awhile, I'm afraid."

"Where's Callen?" asked Sam after a moment. Sam could remember G coming back to get him, the utter relief when he could relax, let G take over. It got all fuzzy then, but he remembered G sounding panicked. G didn't panic.

"I sent him home, quite against his will, I assure you. I doubt he's resting like he should be, but hopefully he showered," answered Hetty, her nose twitching. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"He okay?"

"Yes. Exhausted, but mostly worried about you, Mr. Hanna." Sam smiled.

"Was he a bear?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle," responded Hetty, sharing Sam's smile. "Now, rest."

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The next time Sam woke up, he felt G before he even saw him. His partner was sitting motionless in the corner, his eyes hooded and locked on Sam.

"Hey G," murmured Sam, his voice rough and low.

"Hey."

"You okay?" Callen snorted softly and dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Yeah, Sam, I'm okay."

"What time is it?"

"Late. Early. Depends on who you ask."

"Mmmhhh," hummed Sam. "Not visiting hours, then."

"Me? Disregarding rules?" Sam huffed a laugh, relaxing. Hospital regulations had never meant much to them.

"I left you." Sam's forehead scrunched, struggling to keep up.

"G..."

"Why were you so convinced? So sure that I'd leave you there?"

"Because you're you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sam sighed and shifted carefully against the ache in his leg. It was too early/late for this conversation, but Callen would likely never mention it again. This was his one chance.

"You can separate yourself from people and emotions the way I can't. You are forever preaching at me not to get so invested. It's just who I am, G."

"But I'm a cold bastard." There wasn't real anger in the statement. More like bitter acceptance.

"Come on G, you know that is not what I'm saying. And I never doubted, for even a second, that you would be back, riding to the rescue." There was a long moment of silence in the darkened room.

"If it had been me? Would you have left?"

"I'm not sure," said Sam after some thought. "I'm not sure I could have. Even if it was the right thing to do. You can make hard choices with your head. Me..."

"You're a huge, lethal teddy bear with a squishy center?"

"Call me that again when I'm out of this bed." The quiet between them was comfortable, but Sam felt like something else was coming. He'd nearly dozed off again when Callen finally spoke.

"It wasn't easy."

"Hmm?"

"Walking away from you. It wasn't easy." There was weight. It was important, more than just the words. Callen needed Sam to understand the stuff he never said.

"I never thought it was, G."

"Good. As long as we're clear."


End file.
